UNITE-LA recently submitted public comment on the draft State Digital Equity Plan, which lays out how California’s agencies will invest in communities to ensure every Californian has access to affordable and reliable internet.

A state plan was required by the federal government of all 50 states before they could unlock historic funds from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which will be released in 2024 and 2025. UNITE-LA’s response urged the state to invest in community-sourced data, locally driven, open-access middle- and publicly-owned last-mile infrastructure models. Additionally, UNITE-LA urged the state to address affordability. We also emphasized the importance of hiring a diverse local workforce to address infrastructure deployment needs effectively. To maximize this effort, UNITE-LA hosted a technical assistance session and distributed a template to help other stakeholders provide public comment on the draft plan to amplify L.A.'s presence in public commentary and ensure our community's voices are heard loud and clear.